NEW YORK – Rookie Jeff McNeil got the Citi Field crowd’s attention with his glove in the top of the second inning.

The Mets second baseman kept it with a 4-for-4 night at the plate, including a pair of rally-prolonging hits in a 3-0 victory over the Braves on Saturday.

The Long Beach State product’s all-around performance helped lift starter Zack Wheeler to his fourth win in as many starts. New York snapped its four-game skid while notching just its fourth win (first at home) in 15 meetings with Atlanta this season.

After Wheeler struck out the side on 14 pitches in the first, McNeil flashed his leather to record the fourth out. Nick Markakis became Atlanta’s first baserunner with a leadoff walk in the second, but McNeil leapt to snare a Johan Camargo liner.

He made the routine plays as well. All four outs of Robert Gsellman's sixth save came on grounders to McNeil.

Aug 4, 2018; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Citi Field.(Photo: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports)

"Wheeler got a bunch of ground balls [Saturday]. All the pitchers did, so I was busy," McNeil said after his 10th major-league game. "But I've been working hard on my defense, so it felt good making some good plays out there."

In his first at-bat, McNeil stroked a double over the head of Ronald Acuña Jr. in left to push Todd Frazier to third with none out in the second. Frazier scored on Amed Rosario’s grounder to third, dancing off the base then breaking for home after Camargo threw to first.

McNeil singled to load the bases with nobody out in the sixth, leading to a pair of insurance runs. That came after he legged out an infield single to short in the fourth.

"That one hit back up the middle looked like Ichiro a little bit, [with McNeil] kind of running out of the box," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "He's able to put tough pitches in play or foul them off to see other pitches. He's done a great job at the plate.”

Aug 4, 2018; New York City, NY, USA;New York Mets third baseman Todd Frazier (21) scores on an infield out against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Citi Field.(Photo: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports)

Rolling along

Wheeler evened his record at 6-6 with seven innings of three-hit ball, which featured a walk and nine strikeouts. During his four-game win streak, the right-hander has a 1.95 earned-run average in 27⅔ innings and a 0.90 WHIP, with 20 hits and just five walks allowed and 26 strikeouts.

"It's a combination of everything," Wheeler said. "When they're playing good defense behind you and we're swinging it, you try to go out there and put up some zeros. That's a recipe for a win, and I was able to do that."

"I saw the same stuff: the same power fastball, the same good, breaking slider," Callaway said. "His consistency is just allowing him to feel a little more confident each start."

Aug 4, 2018; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets left fielder Michael Conforto (30) singles against the Atlanta Braves during the sixth inning at Citi Field.(Photo: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports)

As he did with rumors prior to this week's trade deadline, Wheeler dismissed the notion that his mindset differed in any way as a result of staying put. He was in attack mode from the outset and held the Braves 1-2 batters, Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies, to a combined 0-for-8.

Breathing room

Michael Conforto and Frazier singled to lead off the home sixth, and McNeil again kept the line moving with a base hit. Austin Jackson chipped an infield hit off losing pitcher Kevin Gausman (5-9) to drive in Conforto.

Two batters later, Plawecki sent a fly ball to medium-shallow left, and Frazier tagged up and tested Acuña Jr.’s arm. The throw home arrived at approximately the same time as Frazier but skipped away from catcher Tyler Flowers, giving the Mets a 3-0 lead and prompting Callaway to leave Wheeler in the game to hit.

Aug 4, 2018; New York City, NY, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (45) pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning at Citi Field.(Photo: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports)

"He had a two-hitter going, had electric stuff still, and we wanted to keep him in the game as long as possible," Callaway said. "Sometimes when the pitcher's coming up, that's a tough call. Luckily, we scored another run and were able to send him back out there."

Gausman, who spent his entire pro career in the Orioles organization before being sent to Atlanta in a trade-deadline deal, was charged with three earned runs in five-plus.